Bluebird Lady and The White Lion Family

 

The boy flipped through the pages of the newspaper in disbelief, his gait uncharacteristically slow for his age.

 

His innocent face, as if he had just come from the countryside, gradually grew gaunt.

 

The boy flipped the paper over and tossed it into the distance, as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

 

Then he turned to the aide standing next to him, politely, and tried to divert his attention elsewhere.

 “What are the foxes up to these days, anyway? They’re uncharacteristically quiet, don’t you think?” “I think they’re in league with the werewolves.” 

The aide replied calmly, in contrast to the boy’s slightly offended demeanor.

 

The boy blinked a couple of times at the answer, then let out a small whimper.

 “Is that why they’ve been quiet all this time? They’re sneaky, after all.” 

The boy crushed the fox tail on his desk with his hand, cruelly crunching it.

 “This is why I hate fox cubs. Their dirty tricks are the same as a black panther’s.” 

His voice grew sharper, and there was a hint of anger in it.

 

The aide shook its head helplessly.

 “Is that the reason things have gotten so out of hand?” 

I hadn’t come here to settle a simple dispute with the fox beastmen.

 

The boy’s dirty, dirty temper had gotten so bad that he’d come to these barracks to fight.

 

After stabbing him in the back for all the atrocities he had committed, the boy shouted.

 “If you’re going to nag me, then go back to your training!” “Ah, I still have something to tell you.” 

However, the aide stood firm.

 

He glanced around to make sure no one was listening.

 “What is it that has you so wary?” 

The younger boy asked with innocence on his face.

 

The aide quickly leaned down and whispered in the boy’s ear.

 

The boy’s mouth gaped open in astonishment at the confidential information, and he responded incredulously.

 

The boy’s eyes widened in wonder.

 “An eagle? That’s not a big deal.” “It’s quite a serious matter, but… Shall I report it to the Lord?” 

The aide acknowledged the boy’s intentions as he continued on his way.

 

But then he brought up an unrelated topic.

 

The young boy’s mind was still reeling from the article he had seen earlier about Sophina and Ricardo.

 

Moreover, his servant had mentioned something about eagles.

 

‘They must have married an eagle,’

he thought.

 

The boy picked up the newspaper again and flipped it open.

 “But this article, did you see it?” 

The aide nodded and took the paper in hand.

 “Yep. They say they’ll have the supplies here by spring, so things will be much better.” 

Despite their seeming nonchalance, the place they were in was not a barracks.

 

A place where wounded come in every day.

 

In a place like this, Sophina’s Roneache flower cure was essential.

 

But it wasn’t this fact that caught the boy’s attention.

 “Not that, but the pictures!” “What?” “My sister, and brother, and the great one at that, to leave these articles alone!” 

His fingertips moved past Ririela, then Ricardo, and finally settled on Sophina.

 “Ugh, gross.” 

The boy looked at Ricardo, who looked like a friendly person, and gasped.

 

Hearing about the love affairs of my own kin was not something I wanted to know and was extremely repulsive.

 

The aide hesitated as the boy threw up his hands in the air.

 “Actually, Lady Ririela spent her birthday at the mansion. They even went on a family vacation together.” “What?” 

The boy’s eyes widened.

 

Surprise flickered in his clear, unassuming eyes.

 

‘Come to think of it, I think my mother told me something similar the last time she wrote to me.’

 

You mean I missed it, then?

 

The boy tugged at his hair, furious.

 

The aide paused, wondering if he’d made a mistake, and then resumed as if nothing was amiss.

 “I think it’s because of the new little lady.” “…By the little lady, do you mean the bluebird? Why are you just now telling me about it?” 

The boy ruffled through his hair, ruffling it in frustration.

 “I apologize, my lord. I didn’t mean to disturb you.” 

The aide jerked his head quickly. It was a swift response.

 

The boy sighed gruffly and waved his hands in the air.

 “Never mind, it’s been done.” 

As it turned out, he was rather clueless.

 

Or, more accurately, he was the kind of guy who didn’t have time for them.

 

The boy’s lips twitched up at the corners innocently, and he dropped a bombshell.

 “We should probably wrap this whole mess up, I’ve lost interest.” 

It’s not like there was something to fish for in the first place.

 

Now that something more interesting has come along, we should call it quits.

 “What?” “What do you think my sister-in-law likes?” 

The aide’s incredulous response didn’t deter him, and he continued talking to himself.

 “I think it’ll be a fun one, especially to see how my brother reacts.” “Lord Rihentheon, please…” 

He hadn’t said it for fear of what would happen. The aide, feeling like another accident was about to strike, pleaded as his face was dried.

 Rihentheon Chadwick. 

A white lion with a brilliant mind and an unruly nature, yet somehow, he was Sophina’s brother-in-law.

  

Meanwhile, Sophina was sizing up the results of the demo.

 “Wow, this stuff sure is savory.” 

It was a hit.

 

Not just a few lions at the banquet were interested in the Roneache flower remedy.

 

‘Am I about to get rich?’ 

 

Hundreds of lions registered with their personal information and became members.

 

We were worried that we would run out of supplies, but we soon received good news.

 

I received a report that Thenedore had been completed on the field gifted by Mother.

 

This meant that all I had to do was cultivate it.

 

It would be another month or two before the fruit would be ready to be processed into a cure.

 

‘Maybe I should open a store.’

 

For now, they were taking orders.

 

I was both delighted and troubled by the reservation letters pouring into Chadwick House.

 

If we had branches all over the lion’s territory, this would happen less often and everyone would be able to buy the cure more readily.

 

Deliveries would be easier, as well.

 

Money wasn’t a problem, as they already had a deposit from the lions and plenty of gold and treasure from a secret stash.

 

‘I’d like to expand into other businesses once I’m stable.’ 

 

Why don’t I just put a cute little lion on the outside of a container of the cure and market it?

 

Name it Lyon,

 “We need a brand name so it’s memorable.” 

Sophina’s euphoric circuits were firing away.

 

Of course, she also drew up a detailed plan to actualize her expectations.

 

One that she could pass on to Jane and the other servants her mother had hired.

 

As she did so, there was a timely knock on the door.

 “Little lady.” 

It was Jane.

 

Jane closed the door tightly behind her and lowered her voice to a whisper.

 “I’m all set, and I found a carriage to change into on the way.” 

“Really? Then let’s go.”

 

With business well underway and a little breathing room, I decided to pay a visit to the sloth who had originally owned the workshop.

 

After gathering a few items in her bag, Sophina followed Jane out of the mansion.

 

Their destination was a shop that specialized in women’s clothing.

 “Wait outside,” she said to her escorts. “Wait out front.” 

Jane was the only one left with Sophina.

 

With that, Sophina sneaked out the back door and into the carriage Jane had rented for her.

 

She planned to visit the sloth in secret.

 

What if Mother or Ricardo asked her why she was meeting the sloth?

 

It would be embarrassing.

 

‘If I dig deeper, I’ll end up telling them the original story, and I can’t do that.’

 

Sophina sighed and thought to herself as the carriage rattled along.

 

Looks like they’re on an espionage mission.

 

The carriage stopped shortly afterward.

 “Wow…” 

Escorted by Jane, Sophina marveled at the sight before her.

 “The jungle is here.” 

A mansion filled with trees.

 

It was the perfect environment for a sloth to live in.

 

Before entering, she turned to Jane as if to double-check.

 “You made an appointment in your name, didn’t you?” 

It was a way to leave no trace of her visit.

 “Of course. I’ll be waiting.” 

With that, Sophina stepped into the phytoncide-scented mansion.

 

Inside the sloth’s eco-friendly room, where trees grew in pots.

 

Sitting there was a slender young man in a taupe straw hat and a colorful tropical-flowered shirt.

 

He looks surprisingly young. He looks like he’s in his early to mid-20s.

 

Inwardly surprised, Sophina frowned.

 

‘But why does he look familiar?’ 

 

Well, it seems to say welcome to the jungle.

 

Jane was right about the knife scars, but his face was as friendly and trustworthy as that of a clean-cut temple priest.

 

Sophina sat up straight and greeted him with a broad smile.

 “Nice to meet you.” 

And then…

 “Hahaha~”  

The sloth laughed heartily, and greeted back.

 

Very leisurely and slowly.

 

Sloth, like itself.

 

Crap. I’ve picked the wrong guy.

 

Sophina was frustrated.